First Alert Weather Day for Friday as big winter storm to hit Arizona
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A precursor to the Friday storm we’re expecting passed over Arizona very quickly Thursday morning. The storm brought a few inches of snow in parts of northern Arizona and the Rim Country and a few sprinkles around the Valley.
Flagstaff Airport was just shy of 3″ of snow. Bellemont, west of Flagstaff, got 2″ of snow. In the Valley, Rio Verde received .01″ of rain, as did Carefree. Most areas did not get rain. However, rain and snow is on the way for Friday across Arizona.
As a result, a winter storm warning will go into effect for areas above 5,000 feet at 11 p.m. from the Flagstaff area, along the Mogollon Rim to the White Mountains. Snowfall amounts of 12″-plus are not out of the question, especially at the highest elevations.
There are a number of schools in the Flagstaff area that have announced closings or delays because of the storm system.
That winter storm warning runs through Friday afternoon. Those northern and eastern Arizona areas not included in the winter storm warning will be under a winter weather advisory for Friday. This storm is shaping up to be the strongest of the winter so far.
We anticipate nearly 100% of the rain gauges around the Valley will get rain on Friday and most should be in the range of ¼ inch to ½ an inch of rain. It’s possible some areas, especially in the northern and eastern portions of the Valley, could get more rain. It would be the best rainfall for the entire Valley since at least the end of August, maybe longer. So the precipitation is welcome.
However, if you happen to have Cactus League tickets for Friday, your odds of a canceled game are high. It will be cold as well, with temperatures hovering in the low 50s for much of the day around metro Phoenix.
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After several weeks of calm skies and warm sunshine, metro Phoenix’s weather has taken a big shift.
A series of storm disturbances was expected to usher in continued rain chances, much cooler temperatures and gusty winds for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix. Northern Arizona was expected to see rain or snow from the same storm system.
After, some areas of metro Phoenix saw rain on Thursday morning, more storms began rolling through the Valley on Friday morning, the weather service said in a post on X. They warned that the “widespread light to moderate rain” could impact the morning commute.
Here’s everything you need to know about the weather in Phoenix this week, including temperatures, rain chances, weather radar and the forecast for the next seven days.
Though scattered showers began Thursday morning, with a stronger, more widespread round of rain predicted to hit on Friday.
Rainfall chances in metro Phoenix were as high as 80% for at least 0.1 inch, with even higher odds in areas east of the Valley, such as Globe. However, officials said there was still uncertainty regarding the exact timing, location and amount of rain expected.
Temperatures were set to dip into the mid-60s on Friday, accompanied by wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
With the bulk of the rain and strongest winds expected Friday morning through the evening, officials advised residents to stay alert for potentially hazardous conditions.
Here is the seven-day forecast at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, according to the National Weather Service:
Here are some expected weather impacts for the upcoming days, according to the weather service in Phoenix.
Here’s what Arizonans on the road need to know to stay safe:
